The smallest thing
by OliveBranchStories
Summary: What is the smallest thing Merlin would give up his secret for? One shot.


Just a small one-shot that turned up in my brain,

Enjoy

What was the smallest thing worth dying for?

What was the sacrifice small enough that he could make it in order to preserve his freedom?

Merlin thought this as he raced through the corridors to Arthur's room.

What price was he willing to pay in order to be unknown?

He'd gotten back to Gaius' after hunting down the hedgewitch who had cursed Arthur, or at least she was under the impression she had cursed Arthur, as if Merlin would've left him vulnerable to that. Underneath Merlin's protection Arthur was untouchable.

Only…Arthur didn't know that, he thought the hedgewitch had successfully cursed him and Gaius' had told Merlin what Arthur intended to do in order to free himself.

Skidding around a corner Merlin nearly crashed into a soldier.

"Sorry!" Merlin yelled over his shoulder, almost colliding with a servant whilst he was looking back. Arms wheeling he threw himself around them, yelled another apology, and kept running.

What was Merlin's anonymity worth?

He had always imagined revealing himself because Arthur was in terrible danger. Some great foe would be looming over him and Merlin would step forwards, save his life and earn himself instant understanding and forgiveness.

Maybe even gratitude, he was ashamed to admit.

But this was different…this was very different.

Even as he ran to Arthur he wondered if he should be running the other way.

Why hadn't Arthur listened to Gaius when the physician had told him this wouldn't erase a curse? No, why hadn't Arthur listened to Merlin telling him he wasn't cursed as he slipped out the door to go and catch the hedgewitch.

Merlin had let her go, of course. She was alone and grieving and all she had needed was somebody to explain herself to, someone to explain themselves to her.

Merlin would never take a human life when it could be avoided.

Merlin would never let a human die if he could save them.

But this…this wasn't a human life…

"Arthur!" He was running so fast he couldn't stop before Arthur's doorway. Throwing out an arm he grabbed the doorframe, bringing his body around to slam into the wall. Wincing, he clawed his way back into the room.

"Stop!"

Arthur stood behind his desk, the sacrifice almost ready before him. He was wearing his crown and ceremonial robes and there was incense burning. A few servants stood around the corners of the room, fanning it with plants off foreign plants and chanting unintelligible words and doing other ridiculous, superstitious things Arthur's advisors had said were necessary to make the sacrifice work. There was also a few of Arthur's official guard in the room, men armed to the teeth to protect their King from sorcerers and sorcery, making Merlin gulp.

"Arthur! Stop!" He yelled breathlessly.

"Go away, Merlin," Arthur said firmly.

"Please Arthur," Merlin said, watching the sword in Arthur's hand, "you have to listen to me, I can explain everything. Just…don't do it, give me a second…send away the servants and the guards."

"What? Why?" Arthur said with a suspicious cant of his eyebrows.

Merlin looked from the sword to Arthur.

"Just…" How could he explain without explaining? He could hardly tell Arthur in front of all of these people! He closed his eyes, couldn't find the words, the courage, he opened them again.

"Trust me."

Arthur's expression closed, he obviously thought Merlin was scrabbling for an excuse to save the lamb from what Arthur still thought was a necessary sacrifice.

"They stay, Merlin."

Merlin inhaled, ready to say it…but he _couldn't. _

It wasn't worth it, was it? Surely the sacrifice of one small lamb was acceptable if saving it would cost him his life? Other people had died for him.

But they had chosen to, a small voice in his head pointed out, they chose to sacrifice themselves. They weren't going to be killed, to be sacrificed pointlessly, ridding the King of a curse that didn't exist.

But it wasn't fair…

He had so much else to do…

Merlin's internal struggle must've flown across his face and been interpreted as a fight against the inevitable realization that what Arthur wanted to do was necessary because Arthur said, resolved,

"I'm sorry Merlin, I have to do this."

He raised his sword in one hand and held the lamb with the other, steadying it for his blade. Arthur bent it over forwards so when he cut its throat the blood would fall into the large ceremonial dish he could then drink from, ridding himself of the curse.

Merlin leapt forward and struck the dish with one hand, hurling it from the table to shatter on the floor.

"Merlin," Arthur snarled, shocked.

His eyes had followed the dish and as he was distracted the lamb made a bid for freedom with a cry for its mother. Arthur lunged back for it but Merlin had already swooped in, scooping it up into his arms and backing away from his King.

"Let me explain," Merlin said as Arthur looked up furiously, all too aware that Arthur was armed with a sword whilst Merlin had his hands full with the lamb that now snuggled into him, shivering and sensing a saviour.

"Merlin," Arthur was furious; he was rattled from the so called curse upon him and though he wouldn't admit it he was scared. Merlin knew this and knew it would make it all the harder to get him to listen.

"No Arthur, listen to me, you're not cursed!"

"You wouldn't know. Guards, stop him," Arthur gestured to his guards to converge on Merlin with the hand holding his sword, the other grabbing goblet from his table as he moved around it. He'd obviously decided to go through with this, ceremonial dish or not.

Merlin's retreat was abruptly halted as two sets of hands close tight around his arms. He looked from side to side in distress; he couldn't even fight them because if he did so he'd drop the lamb.

"Arthur, _please_, just listen to me. You're not cursed and I can explain how I know it. Just…please, send the guards away."

The guard tightened their grips on his arms and the lamb began to struggle as Arthur strode towards them.

This was not how Merlin would've planned to tell Arthur about his magic, his hands full, held by Arthur's guards with Arthur himself coming forwards with a naked blade at the ready. But if he didn't…Arthur's eyes were on the lamb's throat…

If he didn't, Arthur would kill it in Merlin's arms.

The lamb bleated again.

"I know you're not cursed because I have magic," Merlin cried, pushing futilely backwards in his captors' grips, "I stopped the hedgewitch from cursing you, you're not cursed."

"The lamb has to die, Merlin," Arthur said with a sorry expression, "making up stupid stories won't-"

"_Leoht_," Merlin sighed. _Light. _

Arthur stopped dead in his tracks and the guards hands convulsed with horror. Hovering before them, between where Arthur stood and where Merlin was held, was a gently shining light. Merlin felt the familiar warmth behind his eyes as they flared gold and before they had cooled met Arthur's gaze. The sword tip trembled and the goblet in Arthur's other hand fell to the floor, where it rang, reverberating metal on stone.

Sighing again Merlin released the spell and his eyes cooled to quiet blue.

The lamb had gone very still, either because Arthur had paused or because of the appearance of an ethereal hovering light, or maybe even because it had felt the magic thrumming through his veins, Merlin wasn't sure. Even though it was small and helpless and he had to protect it the warmth of the lamb in his arms, against his chest, was comforting in this end-of-the-world moment.

"Sorcerer," Arthur whispered in a strangled sort of way.

One of the guards released Merlin and drew his short sword in a violent movement, bringing the blade up to his throat. Merlin strained in his remaining captor's grip and was just about to knock the man away with a slap of magic when,

"No!"

Merlin and the guards looked around at Arthur. Arthur's sword was lowered and his empty hand was out in a staying gesture.

"Don't…" He looked at Merlin and Merlin saw an uncharacteristically vulnerable look in the King's eyes, "Don't hurt him."

"Sire, he…" the man still holding Merlin began but Arthur interrupted with his 'King' tone, voice filling the room and throwing itself against the wills of the guards.

"I said don't hurt him. Release him, let him go."

All of the servants around the edges of the room had gone very still and were watching the proceedings with terrified faces. Puzzled and reluctant the guard holding Merlin let him go, but as he stepped back he also drew his sword.

"None of that," Arthur snapped, glaring at the man's sword like it had just insulted him. Merlin looked around; with an increasingly baffled expression the man sheathed his sword and swung his empty hands awkwardly, eyeing Merlin with trepidation.

"Good, you may leave, both of you."

"But, sire…"

"I said _you may leave,_" Arthur snarled, sounding suddenly dangerous. His eyes raked the room, catching every servant in the eye, "you may _all_ leave."

The servants didn't need telling twice and deciding following his orders was preferable to braving Arthur's wrath the guards left without another word, leaving Arthur and Merlin in the middle of the room.

Well, leaving Arthur and Merlin and the lamb alone in the middle of the room.

Arthur glared at Merlin, who wasn't sure what to do with his face. Turning away Arthur paced to the table then back to where he had been standing. Pointing at Merlin accusatorily with his sword he snapped,

"Did you just reveal to me, the King, that you have committed a crime punishable by _death_ to save a lamb?"

Merlin couldn't help from flinching as the sword came his way. Seeing this Arthur lowered it, looking at the blade with an odd expression…as if he were embarrassed by it. When Arthur looked back up at him Merlin nodded.

Arthur ran one hand through his hair, eyeing his servant wildly and with some exasperation.

"What…" His voice sounded strangled again with a hint of hurt, "what am I going to do with you?"

Merlin swallowed, he wanted to cry for some reason, as if that would help.

"Not kill me?" He suggested weakly.

Arthur looked at Merlin with the sort of incredulous alarm he would use if he saw somebody with a fish on their head (Merlin knew this because he'd once seen Arthur look at someone with a fish on their head.)

"Not kill you? Not kill you?" His voice had gone way to high pitched for any sort of dignity; Arthur sounded more indignant than anything else.

"Um…yeah?" Merlin attempted.

"You…you come in here," Arthur spluttered, "and you tell me…you tell me you are a sorcerer so I don't perform a ritual sacrifice a sheep?"

"Um…yeah?" Merlin said again, feeling incredibly stupid but relieved to have not yet been beheaded.

"A _sheep, _Merlin?"

"Well I couldn't let you kill it," Merlin said, slightly defensively now, cradling the lamb gently.

"I would…the law…this is an executable offence, and you're here defending a _sheep?_"

If Arthur was any more incredulous he might pass out, Merlin observed, and with hands full of said sheep Merlin would be unable to catch him.

"Yes," Merlin had moved from terrified to irritated.

"Of all of the stupid," Arthur muttered, striding back to his desk, "moronic, idiotic things to do, this has got to be the worst."

Merlin wasn't entirely sure Arthur wasn't talking to himself. Slamming his sword down onto the table angrily Arthur span and strode back to Merlin.

"I'm surrounded by halfwits who would throw their life out the window for a bowl of sugar if it took their fancy," Arthur said, continuing his muttered tirade.

Arthur seemed set on walking passed him but surprised Merlin by grabbing his arm as he did so. Letting himself get dragged to the door and shoved out Merlin looked tentatively back at the King who didn't seemed more irritated then murderous.

"So…you're not going to kill me?" He asked hopefully.

"Kill you? Moron, idiot, stupid…idiot moron," Arthur snapped, resuming his hold on Merlin's arm and dragging him after him. Merlin fought to keep up so his arm wouldn't be dragged out from beneath the lamb.

"You're too dumb to kill," Arthur snarled, "You'd just stuff it up. No, we're taking that stupid lamb back to the stables where _you_ will organise for it to be sent back to the farm it came from. Of course you'll probably accidentally start a civil war as you do so. Idiot…stupid…can't trust you with anything…"

He descended into muttering again and as Arthur continued dragging Merlin down the hallway Merlin began to laugh.


End file.
